UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is set to pay a state visit to Kyrgyzstan on July 30-31, an event expected to mark a further step in the deepening strategic partnership between the two Central Asian neighbors, according to an analysis published by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS).

The visit comes after several years of what researchers describe as a substantial transformation in bilateral ties, moving from disputes over border demarcation and trust-building toward a broader framework of cooperation spanning industry, investment, energy, transport and cultural exchange.

From Border Disputes to Strategic Partnership

According to the ISRS analysis, authored by department head Azamat Sulimanov and senior research fellow Shakhlo Khamrakhodjaeva, much of the bilateral agenda only a few years ago centered on unresolved border issues and the operation of checkpoints. Sustained political dialogue between Mirziyoyev and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has since resolved outstanding disputes, culminating in a 2023 Declaration on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

A landmark moment came on March 31, 2025, when Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed a treaty in Khujand settling the tripoint of their state borders. The achievement was later referenced in a United Nations General Assembly resolution on peaceful settlement of border disputes, adopted in May 2026 at Kyrgyzstan's initiative, which the authors say recognized Central Asia's experience in resolving territorial issues through dialogue.

Institutional cooperation has continued to expand through mechanisms including a Supreme Interstate Council, an Intergovernmental Commission and a Business Council. The twelfth meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission, held in Cholpon-Ata in June, reportedly produced further agreements on trade, industrial cooperation and transport and energy links.

Trade and Investment Growth

Bilateral trade has grown more than sevenfold over the past decade, rising from $167.5 million to $1.2 billion, including 40 percent growth last year alone, the analysis states. Uzbekistan is now among Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partners, accounting for roughly 7 percent of its foreign trade turnover, with the composition of trade shifting from raw agricultural goods toward processed and finished products.

More than 300 enterprises with Kyrgyz investment currently operate in Uzbekistan, while about 70 Uzbek-linked businesses operate in Kyrgyzstan, according to the report. The Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan Development Fund, whose authorized capital has been increased to $200 million, is described as a key vehicle for financing joint projects in industry, agriculture, logistics, energy and tourism.

Major Infrastructure and Energy Projects

The analysis highlights the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a long-discussed 538-kilometer project now entering implementation, as a central pillar of regional transport integration. The line is projected to shorten China-Europe freight routes by roughly 900 kilometers, cut delivery times by up to a third, and carry as much as 15 million tonnes of cargo annually.

In the energy sector, Kyrgyzstan is developing the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant jointly with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, a project valued at approximately $4 billion with a planned capacity of 1,860 megawatts. The authors describe it as the first instance of three regional states jointly undertaking an infrastructure project of this scale.

Humanitarian and Cultural Ties

The report also points to extensive people-to-people links underpinning the partnership, noting that more than 300,000 ethnic Kyrgyz live in Uzbekistan, supported by Kyrgyz-language schools and cultural centers. Tourism between the two countries has grown sharply, with Kyrgyz visitor numbers to Uzbekistan rising from about 652,000 in 2021 to 3.3 million in 2025.

The Fergana Valley, long a site of cross-border tension, has become a focus of cooperative initiatives, including the first Fergana Peace Forum held in October 2025 and the annual "Yntymak Day" dialogue event.

Looking Ahead

Kyrgyzstan's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2027-2028 adds an international dimension to the partnership, the authors write, offering both countries additional opportunities to coordinate on regional security and development issues on the global stage.

The ISRS researchers conclude that the next phase of Uzbek-Kyrgyz relations will depend on translating political trust into durable institutional mechanisms, particularly as major projects such as the railway and the Kambarata-1 plant move from planning into execution.